The quantity of food that an electric food slicer can process in a given period of time is limited by the inherent power of its motor and the cooling system for that motor. Conventionally, electric motors in food slicers are cooled by air circulated around the exterior of the motor frame of a fan mounted on the motor shaft. The conventional means of circulating air over the motor frame within the limited enclosure around the motor and its drive train is to mount the motor vertically with air circulated upwardly by the fan. The air heated by the motor is largely recirculated within the enclosure by the fan and partially by convective forces. Only a small portion of the circulated heated air is exhausted out a vent near the top of the slicer.
The ability of low cost electric food slicers to cut foods for an extended time has for these reasons been universally limited by overheating of the electric windings in the motor. The problem is so severe that many manufacturers commonly rate their slicers according to the allowable “continuous operating time”, or they provide power switches with only a “momentary ON” position, thus prohibiting continuous operation.